What Do You Say When Your CEO Asks You Tough Questions About the Workplace Violence Prevention Program?

Archive for the ‘workplace violence’ Category

What Do You Say When Your CEO Asks You Tough Questions About the Workplace Violence Prevention Program?

Posted on: May 11th, 2026

When your CEO asks tough questions about your Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP), focus on facts, accountability, and proactive risk mitigation. CEOs care about two primary things: reducing liability and ensuring business continuity.  https://naterassociates.com/what-if-your-ceo-put-you-in-charge-of-workplace-violence-prevention/

A structured, confident response involves preparing clear answers to the most common executive questions.

  1. “Are we actually prepared if an incident occurs?

“What to say: “We have established clear response protocols in alignment with OSHA guidelines. Our staff undergoes regular training on situational awareness and de-escalation, and we hold routine safety drills, so everyone knows their immediate next steps. https://www.osha.gov/workplace-violence

“Executive takeaway: Emphasizes that you have a proactive, actionable plan in place.

  1. “How much is this going to cost / Are we legally compliant?

“What to say: “Our program is built to ensure full legal compliance with state and federal regulations. Investing in these preventative measures significantly reduces our financial and legal liability, protecting both our employees and our bottom line. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Workplace-Violence/FAQ.html

“Executive takeaway: Positions the program as a necessary protective investment rather than shortsighted costs.

  1. “How do you know our current safety measures are working?

“What to say: “We conduct regular risk assessments and maintain a transparent, confidential reporting system for employees to flag concerning behavior early. We also analyze this data to continuously improve our physical security and administrative controls.  https://www.offitkurman.com/offit-kurman-blogs/workplace-violence-prevention-warning-signs

“Executive takeaway: Shows that you use data and continuous monitoring to stay ahead of potential threats.

  1. “How are we preventing these issues from happening in the first place?”

What to say: “Prevention starts with our workplace culture. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy, offer employee assistance programs to support mental well-being, and train our managers to recognize early warning signs before any escalation occurs.

“Executive takeaway: Highlights the human element of your program, demonstrating that early intervention prevents disasters.  https://naterassociates.com/preventing-workplace-violence/violence-interdiction-method/

In closing:

“Executives typically consider corporate risks, whether financial, reputational, legal or commercial. The challenge faced as security and risk management professionals as a whole is to make this something perceptible to the company. It’s obvious to us how much a company and its employees gain from our activities, but senior management will not buy into our idea until they understand that this creates a competitive advantage”. ~Pedro Sa, Security Management Executive with broad expertise in Security, Intelligence and Operations Management. Founder & General Manager of H7 Advisors.  www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-sa . www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-sa

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC President and Owner of Nater Associates Ltd. a nationally recognized workplace violence prevention security management consultant is known for his extensive background as a former United States Postal Inspector and security management consultant. Nater Associates Ltd. specializes in partnering with small & midsize companies to help them implement and manage proactive workplace violence prevention strategy. His sweet spot is working with organizations that see a need and want to make a difference. https://naterassociates.com/start-workplace-violence-consulting/

His core expertise and methodology are focused on his Violence Interdiction Model that emphasizes a “reverse OSHA top-down assessment” and a Likert-based workplace violence prevention security vulnerability assessment, strategic planning and specialized training.

He is the co-author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments is a commentator and appears regularly as a podcast guest.

Office: 704-784-0260

Email: info@naterassociates.com

Website: www.naterassociates.com

What About Workplace Violence Prevention Policy Development, Can It Be Effective?

Posted on: June 13th, 2025

Before setting out to write the workplace violence prevention policy, we must understand what constitutes workplace violence and what we are trying to prevent. You should have an understanding about what you think would be necessary to consider in developing a violence prevention policy.

Workplace violence is a global public health problem that has already caused a serious threat to both the physical and mental health of everyone in organizations (Duan et al., 2019). Thus, preventing violence in the workplace is critically important, as suggested by the numerous books, articles, workshops, and seminars that have been available on the subject (Van Fleet & Van Fleet, 2022, 93-95).

However, all that advice has come from psychologists, physicians, and such.  What has been lacking is advice from those who know and understand management and organizations — advice that would not only reduce the threat of workplace violence but advice that, if followed, would also enable organizations to develop potential competitive advantages in terms of their personnel and productivity.  Look within your organization for such expertise, and if it is not available consider the value of retaining such services.

We must also consider the reality that prevention is not 100% preventable.  In a perfect world, organizations would identify individuals who would potentially commit workplace violence during the hiring phase and never hire them. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and people change overtime anyway. However, organizations can inform and educate everyone, particularly those in management positions, to know when someone may be on the brink of committing a violent act.

In addition, when preparing to write operate under the premise that OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) captures workplace violence under Four Types/Categories (#1 criminal intent; #2 client to worker; #3 worker to worker; and #4 domestic (personal relations) under Four OSHA Categories: General Industry, Construction, Maritime and Agriculture.

A workplace violence prevention policy and accompanying plans with procedures should demonstrate the organization’s commitment toward ensuring the safety of members of the organization as well as customers, clients, and suppliers. Both management commitment and employee involvement are necessary for the development and maintenance of an effective policy/plan. The continued success and appropriateness of intervention strategies outlined in the policy can be monitored and adjusted with data collected at least annually.

Without a demonstrated commitment of management at all levels, others will not follow; and if management does not lead and others do not follow, then company policies will not succeed, no matter how well composed the lines are and how expensive the paper on which they are printed—they will remain “lost in space” when violence comes knocking.

Workplace Violence Prevention should not be an independent initiative but an organizational investment in creating and maintaining safe work environments with senior management leading the initiative through employee engagement.

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC is a certified security management consultant helping small & mid-size manufacturing, process, production, and utility firms implement and manage workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention, and violence response (hostile workplace intruder). Felix is a retired U.S. Postal Inspector who previously worked on a U. S. Postal Inspection Service Workplace Violence Prevention Team and Major Crimes Unit. During his time on the workplace violence prevention team, Felix worked with local postmasters, postal service managers and senior executives to promote a culture of workplace violence prevention delivering training as needed and responding to a variety of incidents rendering risk abatement and risk management recommendations, and testifying at various city, county, state and federal criminal and civil hearings. Over the past 23 years as president and owner of Nater Associates Ltd, Felix has worked with small, medium, and large businesses and government agencies. He applies his Nater Associates Violence Interdiction Methodology as a part of his consulting process LI3CE (Leadership, Integration, Collaborating, Coordinating, Communication and Execution) in maximizing business and organizational independent capability to initiate and manage their programs. Felix is the author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments with David and Ella Van Fleet, is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant, advisor and coach. He appears on a variety of podcasts as well as local and national news networks. Felix is retired from the U.S. Army Reserves where he previously served as the command sergeant major of a major U. S. Army Reserve Command.

 

Workplace Violence Prevention: A leadership Responsibility

Posted on: May 7th, 2025

From My Blog: Workplace Violence Prevention can enjoy success when the effort is not perceived as an independent initiative left to subordinate leaders to administer and develop training objectives. Its success emanates from a senior management organizational commitment and investment wherein the C-Suite having understanding can support and influence decisions around creating & maintaining safe work environments.

 

Senior management leadership supporting workplace violence prevention as a program with employee involvement sets the example of commitment from the top down. For example, companies that engage their leaders to anticipate and address workplace violence through a proactive workplace culture of prevention gives evidence of alignment with the OSHA’s principle of workplace violence prevention. When OSHA conducts enforcement inspections and juries hear civil liability allegations of negligence having and organizational commitment and investment can reflect favorably as honorable intentions.

 

Leadership involvement is about “Creating a Culture of Safety and Security through strategy, process, and plans, accountability, responsibility, and recognition of consequences impacting people safety through worksite specific assessments and their commitment.  Prevention strategy that focuses on swift resolution through five collaborative stages: (1) causation, (2) intervention, (3) risk management, (4) risk mitigation and (5) training give the initiative credibility.  Training that is leader led reinforces the organizational commitment and appears in alignment with OSHA regulations and workplace violence prevention standards sends a positive message.

 

Violence prevention effectiveness grows from within organizations by leaders who recognize their responsibilities, enforce standards, set positive examples and positive leadership. It is not mandated, it is exemplified through policies, plans, and outcomes by engaged leadership. It is the workforce seeing the organization “walk the walk and talk the talk.” People caring about people and leaders who take time to know their people, taking their safety and security seriously.

 

Because workplace violence is a human reaction to perception of grievance, frustration, and hopelessness, retaliation becomes the response. Retaliation though mostly associated with the armed intruder is a frequent behavior manifested in various deviant forms of behavior. Leaders who enjoy the proper mindset take a proactive approach.

 

Leaders can benefit by understanding that security technology alone cannot prevent the active shooter from exacting their vengeance but can give employees critical time to apply risk mitigation immediate protective measures. Leaders that know their employees might be in a better position to recognize the disgruntled employee early on take swift intervention/interdiction steps to avert escalation. Several Client supervisors recently shared that their greatest reward comes when employees take them into their confidence about different experiences and situations in their personal lives.

 

Compassionate leaders typically take into consideration such factors in recognizing negative workplace practices. When trained to recognize the warning signs and contributing factors leaders begin to understand that the disgruntled employee transitions to mental thoughts of rationalization and justification to active shooter thoughts when left alone with their thoughts of justification and rationalization.

 

When training is practical, reflective of the employee’s work and work environment, earning employee trust and credibility is less difficult. It supports the workplace violence prevention policy and other workplace security plans and measures. Leaders that attend scheduled workplace violence prevention training and add to the training objective content show their employees that they care. They understand their roles must be the center of influence in supporting the company’s culture of safety and security.

 

The new employee workplace violence prevention orientation sets standards and expectations. Avoid the perception of fluff, educate and inform the employee on duties and responsibilities of reporting. In short be clear of mutual expectations. Leaders must protect against training being perceived as routine. Leader training must address contributing factors of workplace violence, cause and effect, responsibilities, impact and consequences, prevention and managing risks as well as active shooter organizational responsibilities.

 

Processes not a frequent inclusion in workplace violence prevention leadership training must be the gateway and the roadmap to prevent violence response. Process is a vital part of an organizational commitment that shows people how to maximize their collaborative value. Prevention tied to the active shooter phases in addressing transitional concerns from disgruntled to active shooter provides the leaders and workforce specific examples of how intervention can take place through coordination of effort and resources.

 

Leaders that know that Workplace Violence Prevention starts and cycles through processes gives prevention authority. It should not just be a document but an ongoing process involving multiple interventions. Once a leader becomes aware of a potential security risk immediate action must be authorized and allowed to be taken.

 

In conclusion – Leaders must Avoid assumptions. Avoid the inconvenience of taking action. Avoid the decision to take the easy road by being expedient rather than thoughtful and professional.

About the Author:

Felix Nater, former United States Postal Inspector is a Certified Security Consultant as awarded by the IAPSC (International Association of Professional Security Consultants) specializes in workplace violence prevention. He is the president and owner of Nater Associates Ltd a security management consultant specializing in helping CEOs in of midsize and small manufacturing, processing, production, and utility organizations implement and manage workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention. He explains how to improve their current posture, develop their intent or go in a different direction. In the end, Felix works with organizations to help them achieve desired results and supports them along the way. Interested? Call: 704-784-0260. Visit www.naterassociates.com